Monday's Best Bet: Mecklenburg can spring forward at Del Mar

Monday’s 8th race from Del Mar is an optional claiming event for 3-year-olds traveling a mile and a sixteenth on the turf course (Post Time 8:30 p.m. ET).

Click here for Del Mar Entries, Results

#7 MECKLENBURG (6-1) broke slow from the outside post and had a hard time settling in his stateside bow Aug. 9, and he was 4th by two lengths that day. Flavien Prat sticks and this is his second start after a 7+ month break. He gets pace to chase in the paper race and can tag these if he settles early and moves forward.

#8 Ajourneytofreedom (8-1) is a first time gelding and his new trainer Peter Miller has strong stats with the blinkers off move. He switched to turf and just missed in the Alcatraz, and followed that up with a show finish in the restricted Oceanside. He was no threat in the La Jolla (G3) Aug. 9.

#2 Scarto (3-1) stretched out, stalked from the inside post, and powered home in a local flat mile starter allowance turf affair Aug. 7. Umberto Rispoli strings along and he might save ground stalking the pace again.

#9 Last Opportunity (6-1) landed the show in two of three flat mile turf stats in this country. He did not get much pace help when last seen March 20, and it sure looks like the pace will be more than honest in this spot. 

Wagers:

#7 to win

Quinella 7/2-8-9

Trifecta 7-8/2-7-8-9/2-7-8-9

August 2020 Best Bet Winners

Aug 3 - Peaceful Feeling/Be Nimble Exacta ($43.40), Trifecta ($59.65)
Aug 6 - Thissmytime/Bimini/Time to Two Step Trifecta ($25.85)
Aug 7 - Jackie's Warrior/Therideofalifetime Exacta ($28.80)
Aug 8 - BODHICITTA ($11.20), Quinella ($34.80)
Aug 9 - SPINOFF ($8.40), Exacta ($16.60)
Aug 10 - Guildsman/So Street/Alfie Solomons Trifecta ($104.30)
Aug 17 - WET YOUR WHISTLE ($7.40), Trifecta ($46.40)
Aug 29 - C Z ROCKET ($4.20), Quinella ($6.60), Trifecta ($19.30)

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